Britney Bashing Prompts Another Celebrity Apology And Deeper Talk About Mental Health

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Blogger Perez Hilton is the latest celebrity to come forward and apologize to Britney Spears for the way he treated her in the early 2000s. Fans of the blogger recalling a post on his website that was shared shortly after Heath Ledger’s death, saying “Why couldn’t it have been Britney?”

Hilton’s apology comes after the recent Hulu and FX documentary Framing Britney Spears shined a new light on the pop star’s legal battles. Hilton spoke to Good Morning Britain and says there are larger issues like mental health at hand right now. He says, “I regret a lot, or most, of what I said about Britney. As I’m sure Piers (Morgan) would if he were here, the things that he said in the past. Thankfully, hopefully, as many of us get older, we get wiser. You know, somebody that was talked about in this documentary briefly, Diane Sawyer. Respected journalist, a good woman, but many people are painting her out to be a villain. I think a lot of folks want to blame this person and that person. It’s not as simple as that. There are real mental health issues at play with Britney Spears.”

Hilton also admits to “making her life a living hell.” A living hell which clearly played a major role in Britney’s mental health.

Edge producer Brandon Refour spoke with clinical psychotherapist Jenn Tomko about breaking the stigma surrounding mental health conversations. She says, “That’s the unfortunate part about it, somebody’s in a mental health crisis and she was being shamed for it. I almost wish that the whole thing would have been like, ‘Oh no, this is what happens when somebody might be taking on more than they should.’ You know? Focus on balance and self-care and, you know, be respectful of other people’s boundaries and space.”

Tomko continues, “I think the message should have been more about what can be changed for us and respecting and empathizing with somebody’s mental health, instead of judging it. Which, that’s why I wanted to do this. I feel like this interview right now is part of the message of ‘this is not about her being crazy,’ or whatever that is. It’s about respecting people’s mental wellness. But also converting people over into a healthier way of living, without just confining them. Mental health…you might struggle with it throughout your life, but it is not a death sentence and that’s what it seems to be being treated as.”

This episode’s panel features:
WCCB TV’s Morgan Fogarty
WCCB News @ Ten anchor Drew Bollea
WCCB Sports anchor Zach Aldridge